Baseball gets hiTech, Oakland installs touch screens in new stadium

by James

Cisco Field will become the Oakland A’s new baseball stadium when the Green and Yellow say goodbye to Oakland Alameda County Coliseum in 2012 and when it does come online, it will be doing so literally as their sponsor, Cisco Systems, will be wiring all 35,000 seats with wireless interactive touch screens. Fans will be able to look up stats, keep score, and even order a beer or hot dog directly through the interface (and probably pay for it with your credit card while other fans overlook and copy down your number).

With complete access to various team stats and the ability to order food and drinks directly, and there’s a promise of what the A’s are calling a virtual “autograph session” as fans will be able to talk with their with favorite players through teleconferencing (yeah, we’ll see if that flies). The touch screens will guarantee an entertaining baseball experience for their fans whether the As, who placed 26 out of 30 teams last year, are winning or not. And there’s a practical side to the screens as well as fans will be able to call up data on fastest driving routes out of the park and even where are the shortest bathroom lines.